From Better to Worse
by samarie
Summary: Just when things start going good for Cain and DG, they take a turn for the worse. C/DG- some whumping, action, romance.   Sorry, I stink at summaries...
1. Chapter 1

_From Better to Worse_  
><em>Rating: T for now. Might change<em>  
><em>Summary: CainDG. Just when things start getting better, they take a turn for the worse... _  
><em>I know this has been done before, but the idea wouldn't leave me alone. It starts out kinda slow, but there will be action coming up.<em>  
><em>Disclaimer: Sadly, still don't own. Just playing with them for a bit. <em>

_A/N: This story is pretty much finished, I just have some editing and little changes to do. I thought I'd post the first chapter, and see how that goes. If anyone is interested, I'll post the rest. If not, this will work as a one-shot. As usual: not beta-ed, so all mistakes and craziness are mine. This is my first big Tin Man fic, and I'm a little rusty, so hope it's not too bad. _

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><p>DG woke to the suns shining in through her bedroom window. She pulled the blanket over her head, wishing for more sleep, but she knew it wouldn't happen. Throwing the blankets back with a groan, she forced herself out of bed to start her busy day.<p>

At times, she felt like she was going crazy with all the stress and work. It had been a very hectic two months and that was putting it mildly. Her first few days back in the O.Z. had been frantic, trying to remember who she was and save the land. Thankfully they were successful. They stopped the witch, freed Azkedellia, and the rest of the O.Z. with her. She was slowly regaining more of her memories every day, and was starting to feel more at home as time passed.

What she didn't count on was all the work that would come after she saved her sister. If she thought those few days were bad, they were nothing compared to after. She almost missed the freedom of being on the road to this new life living in a palace.

Her family was trying to rebuild a kingdom, convince people that her sister wasn't evil anymore, and help the country get back on its feet after years of oppression. _Annuals, _she corrected herself with a sigh. It was all very exhausting for a part time waitress/farm girl.

Most of the time she took her responsibilities in stride; it was her fault, she thought, even though her family and friends tried to convince her otherwise. Nobody blamed her, or hated her, and she couldn't understand why. She fully expected Az to hate her, but she didn't. The bond they were reforming daily was great, and made DG very happy.

Some days though, she was ready to hop the first tornado out of there. There were too many demands; everyone seemed to expect her to be everywhere at once- meetings, lessons, social functions. It was sometimes more than the former farm girl could handle. While she walked around her large room getting ready for the day, she realized that she missed her simple attic room at the farm. _Life's funny, _she thought. _When I was there, I couldn't wait to leave, and explore the world. Now that I'm on the adventure of a lifetime, I miss being there. _

One thing she was extremely grateful for was her friends- they were a big help in adjusting to this life. Glitch was still glitching; they hadn't managed to put Ambrose back in his head yet. She worried what he would be like when that happened, and felt guilty when she caught herself hoping he would be the same person, and not turn back into Ambrose. Raw was still around helping heal those that needed it. He was planning on going back to viewer lands soon with Kalm, and she would miss him greatly when he did.

Then there was Cain. She didn't know how to describe Wyatt Cain, Tin Man. He was her best friend, her protector, and so much more. After their adventure was over, she began to realize that her feelings went much deeper than friendship, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him any of that. He had been through enough, she thought. He didn't need a lovesick Princess to deal with too.

She had expected him to leave after the battle was won, to live his life in peace, or hunt Longcoats with Jeb maybe. She never thought he would stay, and just continue following her. He moved into the palace with her family and their friends, and just assumed a role as her bodyguard. No-one dared question him, and she wasn't going to complain.

Wherever she went, there he was. _Speak of the devil,_ she thought with a smile as she left her room and met Cain in the hall.

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><p>Cain was leaning outside DG's door, waiting for to come out for the day. He greeted her when she opened the door with a tired smile.<p>

Cain knew how hard this life still was to her, probably more than most- he was still trying to get used to it too. This life was much different than the one he used to lead, but he stayed, and was learning to adjust. He knew he could leave, start his life again, but something was keeping him here. If he was honest with himself, he knew exactly what and who was keeping him from leaving. DG had saved him, had given him back his heart, and then stole it right back from him before he knew what was happening. He cared for her more than he should, but he kept his feelings hidden. She was a Princess that had enough on her plate, she didn't need an old Tin Man bothering her.

He had been watching her, and noticed how restless she was growing. He had decided that she needed a break, and was waiting for the right time. Today was it. Instead of taking her to her next meeting, he led her out of the castle, and to the stables.

"What are we doing, Cain?" She questioned, confused. "I have a meeting to go to."

"Getting out of here for a little while. And no you don't, I canceled the rest of your afternoon."

_Canceled? _"But-"

"No. You need a break, Princess. I already talked to the Queen and she agreed, reluctantly. Nothing else today but relaxing."

"Really?"

When he nodded, she threw herself at him in a big hug. "Thank you!"

She pulled back after a moment, thinking she was making him uncomfortable. "So, what are we doing?"

"I thought we could go for a ride, maybe around the lake," Cain suggested. "I had the kitchen staff make us a lunch." She stared at him, surprised, and he began to question his idea. "We can do something else instead..."

"I think it's a great idea. Thanks, Cain. It will be nice to get away for a little bit, just the two of us." Her mind drifted at the idea of being alone in the woods with Cain, but she pushed the thoughts away.

He merely nodded then led her to the horses he had already prepared for them. After helping her, he mounted his and headed out of the stable, DG following beside. They started slow, just walking off the grounds and made their way towards the lake.

As they started to move along the shore, DG felt her body relax.

Cain noticed and smiled slightly. _She was working herself way to hard._ He noticed how tense she was all the time, but never said anything because he knew she wouldn't listen. No matter how many times everyone told her not to, she still carried the guilt for everything that had happened.

"Feeling better, Kid?"

"Much," she replied, smiling at his nickname for her. She just hoped he didn't really think of her as a child.

They rode in silence for a bit as they slowly moved around the lake, both lost in their own thoughts. After awhile, DG decided she couldn't keep her thoughts to herself anymore.

"Cain?"

"Yea?"

"Why do you stay here?"

This made him stop abruptly. _Did she not want me here?_ The thought worried him more than he liked. "Do you think I should leave, Princess?" he asked carefully.

"God, no! I- I mean, no, I really like you being here." She paused to try and collect her thoughts. "I guess I just want to make sure you are happy here. I don't want to hold you back from doing what you want. I thought that maybe you wouldn't like being here, and would rather be somewhere more peaceful, or working with Jeb…" she forced herself to stop rambling and looked away.

Cain just stared at her for a minute. The girl never ceased to amaze him. _Not once did she ever think of what she wanted or needed._ The slipper princess had worked her way into his heart, and he wasn't sure what he was going to do about it.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he looked at her again. She was looking down, refusing to meet his face. Did she really think he was going to leave her, that he wasn't happy? "DG."

Slowly she raised her head and looked at him.

"I'm right where I want to be. I thought you knew me better than to think I would do something or be somewhere I didn't want," he told her with a little smile.

DG smiled at his answer. "If you're sure…"

He gave her a stern look. "DG, don't make me say it again. I'm happy, and I'll stay as long as you want me here."

"Well, I want you here forever," she replied before she could stop herself. As soon as the words left her mouth, she blushed and looked away.

"Then forever it is." He replied simply and started moving forward again.

After staring at him in shock for a moment, DG followed, catching up to ride by his side again. _What did he mean by that? He couldn't possibly feel the same way about me, could he? _ DG continued to argue with herself as they rode on; unaware that Cain was having similar problems.

_She's a Princess. A young, beautiful, Princess. I am an old Tin Man with a teenage son. She's my closest friend, I can live with that. _Cain was becoming frustrated with his thoughts. He was not expecting such feelings to come up, and didn't know how to deal with them. After more internal debate, he decided to leave it up to DG. If she showed any interest in changing their relationship, he would go from there. Deciding to stop driving himself mad, he forced the topic from his mind. Realizing they were a long way from the castle, and had been riding for awhile, he decided they should stop for a break.

"Want a rest, Princess?"

"Sure, I'm getting a little hungry."

They found a shaded spot near the water to have lunch. Cain unpacked the blanket and basket of food he brought. DG sat across from him and reached for the basket.

"This is great. I'm so glad you had this idea." She looked over the lake at the castle, it looked so far away. _We need to do this more often, I feel better already._

Cain simply nodded in reply, and they started eating, enjoying the calm of the day.

"Cain?" When he looked up at her, she continued. "Thanks."

He looked at her quizzically, wondering what she was thanking him for now.

"For everything," she explained. "I don't know what I'd do without you here. I know Glitch and Raw are still here, but Raw is leaving soon, and who knows what will happen after Glitch gets his brain back…Anyways, I'm just glad you're here."

She leaned over and hugged him. Before she could stop herself, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling away. She flushed red after seeing the look of shock on his face. "Sorry! I- um…" She trailed off, unsure what to say. _Great one, DG. Now he'll really want to run away. The man barely tolerates all the hugging, and you kiss him! _

Cain didn't know what to say or think, he just stared back in surprise.

"DG." She refused to meet his eyes. He gently grabbed her chin and moved her face up. "Kid, why'd you do that?" he questioned softly. _Just tell me,_ he pleaded silently.

"I- I don't know. I'm sorry, it just happened before I could stop myself," she rambled quickly. "I just wanted to, I guess." She tried to look away again, but his hand still gently holding her face stopped her. She forced herself to meet his eyes, and what she saw surprised her. _He doesn't look mad. Maybe…_

"DG." The soft way he said it made her thoughts stop and she just stared at him.

Before he could rationalize it, he was leaning towards her slowly. Giving her a chance to stop him, he paused just before reaching her. Sensing no hesitation, he moved in, gently pressing his lips to hers while still cupping her face.

After a second of surprise, she returned the kiss, leaning into him with a content sigh.

Cain forced himself to stop after a few seconds, and searched her face for what she might be thinking.

She kept her eyes closed, enjoying the moment. When they slowly opened, Cain couldn't believe the happiness he saw in them.

"Princess?"

Before he got any further, she was pulling him back to her and kissing him. It started slow and gentle, but quickly turned passionate. Cain again forced himself to pull away, and they both drew in deep breaths.

"Wow," she breathed out, laughing lightly. _If I knew he could kiss like that, I would've jumped him weeks ago. _The look on his face had her laughing more. "Sorry. I- I had no idea that you'd ever think of me like that," she explained with a shy smile.

He let out a chuckle. Pulling her to him, he hugged her, and pressed his lips to her hair. "We are quite a pair, kiddo. I was thinking the same thing about you."

"Really?" He nodded and she laughed. "We really are dumb." His glare just made her giggle more. "Sorry. I just think it's funny that we were both thinking the same thing, and not doing anything about it. Now I'm really glad you had this idea."

"Me too."

"So... now what?"

"No idea, Princess. Been a long while since I've been in this situation," Cain replied honestly. "I care about you, Princess, and I don't do things halfway, I hope you know that. We start this, it's for keeps," he told her seriously.

"Promise?" His nod made her grin. "Good."

"I can't promise it won't be complicated, DG. It'll take some time to figure this all out, and you being a Princess won't make things easy," he admitted.

"Since when have we done anything easy, Tin Man?" she questioned with a light laugh.

"Good point," he stated before leaning down to kiss her again.

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><p><em>AN: Well, there you go. If you are still with me, I hope you click that little review button. Reviews and feedback are always appreciated. If you liked it, let me so I can post the rest. If you didn't, tell me so I know what to fix and improve._  
><em>(I wanted to say a HUGE thanks to Brikyzbabe- your review of my other TM story made my whole week :-D I tried to reply to the review, but it wouldn't let me...)<em>


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thanks to everyone that put me on alert or reviewed! Here is the next chapter. I'm not totally thrilled with it, but my muse wasn't cooperating with the editing, and I didn't want to put off posting the next chapter. Hope someone enjoys it. _

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><p>They kissed again; Cain tried to keep it light, but DG had other ideas. He pulled back and grinned at her. "Slow down, Princess. Plenty of time for that later. I want to do this right, and that means taking our time," he explained after stopping the kiss.<p>

"Fine, have it your way, Tin Man." She replied, pouting.

He chuckled, and she joined him after a moment. She reluctantly moved away after another minute, and they continued their meal, chatting about random topics.

Cain looked at the sky, and noticed that most of the afternoon had passed while they were relaxing. "Getting late, kiddo. We should probably head back before they send a search party for you."

DG sighed in disappointment, but knew he was right. They had been gone a long time, and she couldn't stay away forever, as much as she would like to. "I guess you're right. I wish we could just stay here, it's so nice."

"I know, but we can't hide forever; and I need to speak with your parents."

"Really? That is so old-fashioned, and kind of embarrassing."

"May be old-fashioned on the Otherside, but not here. You are a Princess, DG. It has to be done."

While speaking, he helped her to her feet, and they picked up their belongings.

"Fine, I still think it's silly though. And if they give you any trouble, they're gonna hear from me," she warned, making him laugh.

They walked to the horses, and he started to help her up, but was stopped by her. She turned suddenly and pulled him close for another kiss. A whimper escaped her, causing him to deepen it. Eventually Cain remembered that they needed oxygen, so he forced himself away. "Plenty of time, remember?" he reminded her.

"I know, I know. I just don't want this to end; this has been the best day I've had in awhile."

"We'll try and get away more often, promise."

She beamed at him as he helped her get settled on her horse. "I'll hold you to that promise, Wyatt."

Cain smiled when she used his name. "Good. Now let's get out of here before you convince me to never leave," he teased.

"Oh man, that was possible?" She pretended to mope as they started the journey home.

They rode for just a few minutes, when Cain stopped them suddenly. "Wait," he whispered. DG watched him scanning the area suspiciously. Then he pulled out his gun.

"What is it?" she whispered back.

In response he held a finger to his lips, silencing her. He continued to scan the woods near them before replying. "Someone's out there," he whispered.

Nervous, she began looking about too. After her first few days here, she knew anything could happen, and with her luck, it was usually bad. "I don't see anything. Maybe we should just keep go- ouch!" she yelped as she felt a pain in the side of her neck. Reaching up, she was surprised when she felt something there. Carefully grabbing it, she looked curiously at the little dart-like object. "What…" she trailed off, before everything started to blur.

Cain looked over when she cried out, and saw her holding something in one hand, the other covering her neck. "DG!" He called out when her eyes started drifting closed and she leaned forward. Moving toward her, he grabbed her just before she fell off her horse. Looking her over, he saw the small red mark on her neck, and then noticed the little dart in her hand.

Focusing on the semi-conscious girl in his arms, he carefully got off his horse, and then lowered her to the ground. Momentarily distracted, he didn't notice the group of men creeping out of the forest. At the first noise, he turned and began firing at them, knocking two down instantly while standing in front of DG. He shot a few more, trying to hold them back. "DG, come on, wake up," he pleaded, realizing he was greatly outnumbered. She moaned, and moved slightly. He cursed quietly as their horses ran off from the noise.

"Cain?"

"Time to go, Princess."

Glancing back, he saw her try and sit up, her movements shaky. "Cain, look out!" He turned back to see a Longcoat aiming his gun. Before he could fire, the man was sent flying through the air, along with the ones near him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a light radiate from DG.

"Thanks." Once making sure they were all out of the immediate area, he turned back to her. "Let's get out of here." Reaching down, he started to help her up when he heard the shot. A moment later he felt a burning pain in his leg, knocking him to the ground.

DG called out his name, but he was already turning with his gun raised.

Cain turned to the gunman, and was shocked to see Zero walking towards him. He briefly wondered how he had gotten out of the suit while he fired quickly. Zero made an angry noise and was knocked back, hand reaching for his shoulder.

Three more Longcoats came out and raised their weapons. Trying to fire, he realized he was out of ammo.

"DG, you need to get out of here, now. Use your magic, just go." He knew it was pointless as soon as he said it, but he had to try and protect her.

"No, I'm not leaving you."

_Damn, stubborn girl. _"DG, please." She simply shook her head and stayed put.

Turning back to his attackers, he saw that they were becoming surrounded. A moment later a shining light surrounded them both, creating a shield. The men fired, but the bullets bounced off.

"How long can she keep that up, Cain?" Zero stood and walked towards them, holding his bleeding wound. "I'm guessing not long, considering how weak she already is." Zero came closer and ran his hand along the shield, taunting them. "I can wait. Seeing as we are so far from any help, and your Princess is looking pretty bad."

Cain risked a glance back to check on DG. "Dammit, DG," he muttered. She was pale, and visibly shaking with the effort she was putting into protecting them. Seeing that she wouldn't hold out for long, he tried to come up with a plan. While Zero stood glaring over them, he reloaded his gun, grateful of the fact that he always carried his bag with extra ammunition. Trying to ignore the pain in his leg, he checked out possible escape routes. It would be hard on foot, but if he shot them all, they could make it. Looking to her again, he saw she was barely conscious. The effect of whatever was in that dart plus the magic use was draining her. He'd have to make sure they all stayed down if they had any chance of getting out.

He saw her eyes start to drift closed, and her light was flickering. "I'm sorry, can't hold…"

He prepared himself as best he could, and tried not to think about her swaying behind him. Raising his gun, he fired the first shot as her shield still flickered. The first man dropped, and the others started firing. A couple bullets bounced off, and then he heard a soft moan from DG and felt the weight of her slumping against light faded from around them completely and he knew they were in trouble.

He managed to take out another two before a bullet sliced across his right arm. He cursed, and quickly moved his gun to his other hand, and took out another Longcoat. Zero and two others remained but Cain knew he couldn't get them all before they reached him. One of the men raised something and pointed it at him. A second later he felt a small pain in his neck, and the last thing he saw before his world went black was Zero grinning smugly over him.

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><p><em>AN: I know, I know... Zero, it's been done so many times before. The idea just wouldn't leave me alone though. Next chapter will be up in a day or so. If you want, push that little button and make my muse happy. :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: I wanted to thank everyone the added me to alert or reviewed, each one makes my muse very happy! Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy. :-)_

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><p>DG started to wake slowly, and opened her eyes. She groaned, and quickly shut them as the light caused a headache. She tried to reach up and rub her head, and panicked when she realized she was tied down to something. After a brief second, she remembered the days events. Instantly alert, her eyes flew open, ignoring the pain. She raised her head and tried to take in her surroundings.<p>

Her first observation was that she was alone, and she began worrying about where Cain was. Pushing the emotion aside, she forced herself to focus on the situation.

She was tied down to a table, in the middle of an otherwise empty room. There was light streaming in from a high window, and a wooden door across from her position. She tested the restraints, and winced as they cut into her arms and legs. Cursing, she gave up after a moment, and closed her eyes. She tried to focus on her magic, but nothing would happen. She realized she wasn't able to focus properly, and gave up for the moment._  
><em>

"Great, just great." she muttered to the empty room.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the door opening. She turned her attention towards it, and saw Zero standing in the doorway. He just watched her for a minute, and she felt her anger growing.

"What do you want?" She asked angrily.

Zero came into the room, walking towards her. "Hello, Princess." He reached his hand out to touch her face, and she jerked her head away.

"Don't touch me!" she snapped, but knew there wasn't really much she could do in her current situation.

"I don't think you're in much of a position to order me around," he said smugly. To prove his point, he reached out and grabbed her chin roughly, forcing her to look at him.

"Cain is going to kill you," she threatened, the words spilling from her mouth before she really thought. "You should let me go now."

"I don't think so. You're clearly not able to use your magic, or you would have already. And I wouldn't hold out hopes for your Tin Man, since my Longcoats left him dead on the ground."

"You're lying!" She yelled at him, but couldn't stop the tears from her eyes. _He can't be dead! _

"Are you sure about that?" He brushed his hand against her cheek, and she cursed at him while he walked away. "I'll be back soon."

"Go to hell!"

He just smirked and closed the door.

DG tried to force back the tears, and made herself remember what had happened earlier. She gasped when she remembered that Wyatt had been shot, more than once. She tried to remember anything else, but it was all blank after that. "No, he's not dead. He can't be," she whispered to herself. Determined not to listen to what Zero said, she moved her thoughts to trying to find a way to get free. Closing her eyes, she remembered her lessons with Toto, and tried to find her light again. After a few minutes, she felt it, and opened her eyes. Her hand was glowing lightly. "Come on, please work." She drew her energy towards the ropes around her arms, and they started to loosen.

Her hands were free and she began working on her legs when the door flew open again. She moved quickly, trying to free herself the rest of the way, but he was faster. He strode across the room and she noticed a metal pole in his hands. Before she could process what it was, he had shoved it against her side, and she cried out as the electric shock ran through her body. She felt her body jerk, and fall back against the table. _Oh. The shocking device they used on Lylo. _The thought flitted through the back of her mind as she drew in painful breaths.

He pulled it away after a few seconds, and leaned towards her. "Did you really think you'd get away that easy?" he taunted.

She opened her mouth to reply, when he shocked her again. Her words turned into a gasp of pain. "Bastard!"

"Now, that's no way for a princess to talk." He raised the pole again, and she cringed away.

She couldn't stop the scream from escaping her when he pressed it against her side. "Stop, please!"

He pulled it away, and reached out to grab her face again. "I'm not done with you Princess. You aren't going anywhere."

"What do you want with me?"

"You really have to ask?" He asked incredulously. "You and Cain destroyed my life, I'm simply returning the favor." His face twisted with anger, and DG cringed. "All I want is for you to pay for what you've done. Since I've already taken care of him, I intend to enjoy my time with you." He ran his hand slowly down her arm, and she shuddered at his dirty grin. "Then I can move on to the rest of my plans."

"Plans?"

"I spent a month in that suit, and another hiding in the Realm of the Unwanted, tracking down my men. Once that was done, we moved to the next step, getting you out of the way. Now, there won't be as much trouble when we re-take the city."

"It'll never work. I'll make sure of it."

"And what are you going to do to stop me? You'll be dead." He stroked her arm again, and grinned.

Her magic flared on it's own, and he was sent flying across the room. DG acted quickly, reaching down to finish freeing herself. When she finished, she looked towards him warily. He wasn't moving, so she got up and ran for the door. She threw it open, and froze when she saw two guards standing there. She used her light to throw one against the wall, but the other grabbed her roughly by the neck before she could turn on him. She struggled for air while reaching up to try and free herself.

He shoved her back into the room, and dropped her on the ground in front of an angry Zero.

Zero stood over her with a glaring look. Before she could react, his hand came out, knocking her roughly backwards. Her head hit the ground, and her vision blurred.  
>She felt herself being lifted, and tried to struggle, but the arms holding her were strong. The man dropped her onto the table, and began tying her up again.<br>She was soon secured again, and Zero was leering over her. Once he sent away the other man, he moved towards her with a menacing look.

"That was very stupid."

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><p><em>AN: I know, I'm horrible. I didn't plan to be so mean to DG, it just happened. (I really shouldn't write when I'm in a down mood...) I also kind of think Zero was a little crazy to begin with, since he had no issues beating women and children, and was a willing follower of the Sorceress, so that affected this chapter too. As always, please let me know what you thought._


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N Here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy. _

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><p>Azkedellia was in the garden reading and enjoying the late afternoon when she heard some noise coming from the guardhouse. On instinct, she dropped her book and ran over. "Has something happened?"<p>

One of them eyed her warily, and she sighed. They all still looked at her with fear. Pushing away her pain, she tried again. "Is something wrong?"

Jeb Cain came up to her and spoke. "Two horses were found running out of the woods, alone. When they were returned to the stables, the stable boy said that your sister and my father took them out this morning."

"What? Where are they?"

"We don't know. I'm assembling my men now to go look for them."

Azkedellia began to panic. Everyone knew there were still dangerous people about, and that her sister was a magnet for trouble. She closed her eyes, and tried to focus on DG. They had been practicing on communicating with their magic and she used the link now to try and reach her sister.

Jeb watched the older princess carefully. It had been hard being around her at first, but as time passed, he learned that she was nothing like the evil person who had ruined his life. He knew how close she was to Princess DG, and hoped their magic would be helpful.

After a moment, her eyes flew open.

"What is it, Princess?"

"I can sense her, but she's not answering. She's afraid, and I think she's hurt."

"What? What about my father?"

"I don't know. I only sense her, I'm sorry." she said, trying to hold back her tears. "I'm going with you," she said suddenly.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Jeb said, but stopped when she glared at him.

"You may need me to find her," she argued.

"Fine, be ready in five minutes. But you stay behind me and my men at all times."

She nodded, and ran towards the palace. When she got there, she nearly ran into Glitch and Raw. Glitch caught her before she fell.

"What is it?" he questioned upon seeing her face.

"DG and Mister Cain are missing. The guards are going to find them now, I'm going with them."

Both their faces took on worried looks. "We're coming with you," Glitch said, and Raw nodded.

"We leave in five minutes," she told them with a grateful smile.

Jeb was organizing the guards when the trio returned. He didn't comment, just pointed to the horses with a nod.

When everyone was ready, he led the way out of the stables, in the direction the horses had come from.

One of the guards spotted the trail left by Cain and DG, and they began following it cautiously. They traveled quickly before the lead guard held up a hand to stop them. Everyone slowed, and moved forward carefully. Lying in the road were several Longcoats. Jeb had his men dismount and check the bodies. He moved cautiously among the trail, and froze when he spotted his father on the ground, unmoving.

He called out to him and ran over, praying he was okay. "Father?" Jeb reached out and breathed a sigh of relief when he found him still breathing. "Raw!"

Raw jumped off his horse and ran over, followed by Glitch and Azkedellia. She let out a gasp when she saw the blood. "Oh no!"

Raw leaning over Cain, placed his hands on the wounds and closed his eyes. "Wounds not serious, Cain be okay."

Everyone held their breath while he concentrated. Raw jumped back after a couple minutes when Cain's eyes flew open and he jerked up. "DG!"

"Father, are you alright?"

"Jeb? Cain looked around, confused. "Where's the princess?" he questioned while trying to stand. When nobody answered, he fought to get up.

"Let Raw finish healing you," Jeb said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Then we can go find her. One of my men found a trail, it shouldn't be hard to track them down.

He started to argue, but Azkedellia interrupted. "You are no good to my sister if you are injured, Mister Cain. Please let Raw heal you, then we can go find her."

Cain couldn't argue with her logic, so he simply nodded to Raw. Once he was fully healed, he got up and headed for the horses. Jeb pointed him towards Azkedellia's horse, and told her to ride with Glitch. Before anyone else was ready, Cain was on the horse and heading towards the trail. Groaning in frustration, Jeb told everyone to hurry, and they caught up to his father.

"What happened?"

"Zero has gotten the Longcoats together apparently. DG and I were heading back to the palace when they ambushed us." He closed his eyes, trying not to think about what might be happening to DG.

"Zero? How the hell did he get out of the suit?"

"I don't know." _I should have let Jeb kill him before._ He closed his eyes and forced himself to push the guilt away for the moment. "Doesn't really matter now, all that matters is that he did, and we need to stop him. We need to get her back, and then I'm going to kill him."

Jeb watched the older man thoughtfully. He knew that his father and the Princess were close, but he tried not to think about it too much. Seeing his father this upset made him face the fact that he was moving on. "You care about her." It wasn't a question.

"Yes." he replied simply. "I know you probably don't want to hear it, but I do."

Jeb tried to push away his feelings, deciding they could discuss it later. "We'll get her back."

"Thank you, Jeb."

While they rode, Cain prayed to the Gods that DG would be okay. _I'm coming Princess. Just hold on._

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><p><em>AN: Sorry it's kind of short, but I figured that was as good a place as any to end this chapter. I'm just touching up the next one, so that should be up tonight or tomorrow. As always, please let me know what you think. I love hearing what you like or don't like, so I can improve my stories.  
><em>


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Here's the next chapter. Sorry for the delay, my computer was being a pain, and my muse keeps changing her mind on stuff. I've re-written the ending about 3 times now, trying to make it better. I think I've gotten it now, and as long as there are no more changes, I should have the rest up this week. :-)_

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><p>DG opened her eyes slowly, and groaned in pain. Zero had been more than happy to demonstrate that he had no issues hitting women, as if she didn't already know that from the T.D.E.S.P.H.T.L. from when they found Cain.<p>

She could feel the split lip with her tongue, and knew that her face had to be turning black and blue.

"That went well," she muttered to herself while taking in the new situation. She tried to call her light, but nothing would come. "Damn it," she cried out when nothing happened. She couldn't focus enough to get her light to cooperate. Deciding that her magic was useless at the moment, she began struggling against her bindings again. After several minutes, she had accomplished nothing but making her wrists bleed. She felt the despair building, and couldn't stop herself from giving in to it. The tears began falling before she could stop them.

She had been weeping softly for awhile when a voice interrupted her thoughts.

_DG?_ Azkedellia's voice whispered in her mind.

_That sounds like Azkedellia_.She cursed herself for not thinking of their silent communication before trying to answer back. After a few moments she calmed herself enough to try and answer. _Az? Can you hear me?_

_DG! Oh, thank the Gods! Are you alright? Do you know where you are?_

_I don't know where I am, he has me locked up in a room somewhere. I'm scared,_ she admitted.

_I know. You just have to hold on, help is coming._

_I tried to escape, but it didn't work out very well. I don't know what to do. I think he killed Cain. _DG spoke to her sister, trying to keep the tears from starting again.

_We found him, he's okay. __We're coming for you. _

_He's okay? _This time she couldn't stop the tears, but they were from joy this time. _Thank you! I was so afraid, Zero said he was dead. _She was so overjoyed it took her a moment to process the rest of her sister's words. _Wait, we're coming? Az, you can't come, it's not safe! Stay away from here._

_Don't worry, I'll be fine, there are plenty of guards, and Raw and Glitch too. Just try and stay strong until we get there. _

_Please be careful. I- _DG stopped suddenly as Zero opened the door.

_DG?_

_It's Zero, he's back. S_he lost her focus as Zero came over and noticed she was awake.

"Ah, she's awake. Have you learned your lesson yet?" She gave him a dirty look, refusing to answer. "Still defiant? Hmm, guess you are tougher than I thought. I'll enjoy breaking that spirit."

Azkedellia panicked when DG stopped communicating with her. _DG? _A moment later she opened her eyes and cried out, startling the men around her. DG was crying in pain in her head. "We have to hurry."

Cain prodded his horse to start running again, and the others followed. It was turning dark as they came to a hill, and an old town below. Everyone stopped, and Jeb pulled out binoculars to survey the area. "It looks abandoned."

"He could be keeping her anywhere." Glitch said, looking at all the buildings.

"Can you find her, Princess?" Jeb asked suddenly. "With your magic?"

"We've never done something like that before, but I'll try." She closed her eyes, and tried to reach out to her sister, to sense where she was. Her eyes snapped open after a few seconds. "There," she said, pointing across the town to a large building. "She's in there."

Cain breathed a sigh of relief. At least they knew where she was. _Now we just need a plan. _He forced himself to remain calm, and think rationally. He reached for the binoculars and looked at the area. "I see three guards outside, we can take them out once we're closer. Once that's done, we'll split up and go in from the front and back. We'll probably have to deal with more guards once we're inside. Princess, can you lead me to her once we're there?" She nodded and he continued. "Okay, let's go."

The group moved slowly down the hill and towards the building. Once they were close enough, one of the guards pulled out a rifle and took out the guards. The men split into two groups, one heading for the back. Glitch, Raw, Jeb and Azkedellia followed Cain and one of the guards towards the front door. They stepped around the fallen men, and entered carefully. The men surrounded Azkedellia, protecting her.

"Which way?" Cain asked.

She closed her eyes and concentrated. "That way, I think." She pointed to a narrow staircase leading downstairs. There was a guard at the top of the stairs that Jeb took care of quickly.

They followed the stairwell, and found themselves in front of a long hallway, filled with several doors. Cain held up a hand to stop their movements suddenly. He heard footsteps approaching. Shoving everyone back, they pressed against the wall. A guard walked by, and Cain knocked him out with his gun.

He started to move again, but jumped back when a bullet hit the wall near him.

"You have more lives than a cat, Cain."

Cain's jaw clenched and he gripped his gun tightly. He stuck his head around the corner, and fired in the direction of the voice. The bullet hit the wall, and Zero laughed. They heard a door slam and then the hall was quiet.

Cain cursed when he saw the now empty area. "Princess?"

"I can't tell. She's close, but I don't know which room."

"Raw, Glitch, stay here with her." They both nodded and he looked to Jeb and his guard. "You two come with me."

The three men entered the hall slowly, guns raised. Cain opened the first door, found it empty and moved to the next. It was empty as well, and when he got to the next door they found it locked. Jeb moved forward to help him kick it open. As they started pounding on it, a scream came from inside.

"Cain!"

Both men began kicking furiously at the door after hearing the Princess. It started to break open when the guard behind them called out. They turned to see several Longcoats enter from a door on the opposite end of the hall.

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><p><em>Sorry for the cliffhanger, my muse seems to love ending chapters there. As usual: love hearing what you all think :-)<em>


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Sorry for the delay, my muse kept changing her mind on what was going on in this chapter. I've gone back and changed things several times, and I'm still not sure it's good enough. I may end up going back and tweaking later, but I didn't want to make everyone wait after my evil cliffhanger the last chapter. I'm horrible at action scenes, so this chapter definitely isn't my favorite. I hope it's alright though... _

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><p>Zero was taunting and threatening her again, when he stopped suddenly, and looked to the door. He turned and left the room, not saying a word.<p>

DG stayed still for a moment trying to figure out what was happening, when she heard the gunshots. They were followed by voices. She internally jumped with joy when she heard Cain's voice. _They're here! _She was about to call out to them when Zero ran back into the room. He slammed the door behind him, and was holding his gun.

"You led them here," he said, glaring at her.

She didn't deny it, she was too happy they had found her. "I told you they would come for me. Cain is going to kill you," she replied with a small grin. She closed her eyes and began to focus on her light again. She could feel the magic building in her, and focused on loosening her restraints.

"Possibly, but it still won't save you." He walked towards her, gun raised.

She felt her arms become free, and sat up as he reached her. Cain's voice was heard just outside the door, and she called his name. The noise on the other side increased and she felt herself smiling.

She jumped up from the table when Zero turned towards the door, and moved to hide behind it. The banging from the door stopped suddenly, and then was replaced several gunshots and the sound fighting on the other side.

Distracted by the commotion, she didn't see Zero moving closer until he was right beside her. He reached out quickly and grabbed her hair, pulling her up.

"Let me go!" She yelled, trying to fight him off. He brought his arm up and held her tightly against him, the other hand pressing the gun to her temple.

"Sounds like your rescue got delayed," Zero taunted, wrapping his hand around her throat to hold her firmly.

The action made her stop moving, afraid of what he would do next. He began pulling her backwards, and she turned her head slightly, noticing there was a door in the opposite wall. Panic kicked in, and she started struggling harder. He gripped her tighter in response, and continued to drag her along. The racket outside stopped and DG tried to escape again, not knowing how the battle in the hall had ended. "You're not taking me anywhere," she cried, trying to dig her feet into the ground to slow him. He didn't answer, just adjusted his hold on her while he reached behind him to open the door.

"Cain!" DG tried to call out for him, her voice weak due to the hand around her neck. Her cry was answered by the door breaking down, and Cain bursting in, gun drawn. Jeb and the guard followed, all pausing when they saw the situation.

"Let her go, Zero."

"I don't think so. She makes a nice shield, and will guarantee my way out of here." He inched back, DG held closely in front of him. "Drop the guns, or I'll kill her right here." To emphasize his point, he cocked the gun aimed at her.

"Shoot him!" DG ordered when she saw them all hesitate. She could see the battle going on in Cain's mind, trying to make the right decision. He finally raised his gun, and aimed their direction. She closed her eyes, waiting for the blast. A soft click was all that was heard, and she opened her eyes in shock.

Zero grinned, and yanked her back, entering the doorway. "Better luck next time, Cain." When Zero took another step back, she made a decision. Throwing her head back, she slammed the it into Zero's face. His grip loosened as he groaned in pain, and she yanked herself out of his arms.

The same moment she broke free, Cain rushed forward, launching at Zero. He knocked the gun out of Zero's hand as they hit the wall. Cain hit him in the face, and Zero swung back, striking Cain in the stomach.  
>DG watched, frozen, until Jeb stepped forward and pulled her back. He pushed her towards the guard before moving towards the fighting men. They exchanged several quick blows before Jeb reached them and jumped at Zero. Outnumbered, Zero tried to escape, but was stopped by Jeb holding him in place. Cain delivered another blow, dropping Zero to the ground, unconscious.<p>

"Cain!" DG threw herself at him, hugging him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her and returned the hug.

"You okay?" He questioned, pulling back to look at her. His jaw clenched when he saw the bruises on her face.

She nodded, unable to speak, and wrapped her arms around him again. A moment later, they both jumped in surprise at Jeb grunting in pain. They turned to see Jeb on the ground and Zero lifting himself up.

DG watched in horror as time seemed to slow. Jeb and Zero both reached for guns, while Cain started to push her behind him. Both fired at the same moment and she reacted on instinct, shoving Cain back with her magic. She heard him yell out for her as Zero fell backwards, blood pouring from his throat, and a pain flared in her chest.

Time caught up to her as she watched him hit the ground. She looked down in confusion to see blood stain the top of her shirt before she felt herself dropping.

Cain rushed back to her, catching her as her legs gave out. Jeb ran to the door, yelling for Raw before returning to them.

"It went clear through," Cain stated as he saw the blood soaking the front and back of her shirt. He pressed his hands tightly to her back while Jeb did the same in the front, both attempting to stop the blood.

The pressure caused her to gasp, and she drew in a ragged breath.

"Wyatt?" DG murmured quietly, her hand reaching blindly for him. She tried to pull in more air, but couldn't seem to get her lungs to cooperate. She opened her mouth to speak but all that came out was a cough.

He grabbed her hand and squeezed, trying to comfort her. "Hold on, Raw's coming."

Raw ran in, followed by Glitch and Azkedellia. Raw dropped to the ground by DG, placing his hands over the wounds as Jeb stepped back to give him room to work.

Cain's voice grew desperate as her eyes slipped closed and she went limp in his arms. "DG, open your eyes! Please don't give up now."

"DG!" Azkedellia began crying as she sat on the ground by her sister.

Glitch moved towards her and pulled her back. "Let him work, she'll be okay." He pulled her into a hug to hide the fear on his own face.

Raw spoke quietly as he concentrated over DG. "DG very hurt, will take time. Raw will heal as much as possible."

Cain tightened his grip on her, knowing how painful a healing was and hoping she wouldn't feel it. He gently stroked her hair, telling her that everything would be okay, unsure if she even heard him. "Don't leave me, Princess," he whispered. "I can't lose you now."

Unable to watch the scene before him, Jeb turned to the guard and gave orders for him to find the rest of the men and report the situation.

Raw stayed over DG for several minutes, eyes closed tightly. When he opened them and removed his hands, they all looked at him expectantly. "Cannot do more now, too much for her, for Raw. DG lost much blood, Raw cannot replace. Should be okay after much rest, more healing."

The room let out a collective breath of relief. "Can we take her home now?" Azkedellia asked, still holding onto Glitch.

"Yes, must be careful though. Wounds not all healed."

"Uh, how are we supposed to move her? We can't put her on a horse," Jeb said.

"I can take her, it'll be faster." Azkedellia released Glitch, moving back to her sister.

Cain watched her, still holding DG close. He kissed her head gently and then nodded to Azkedellia.

She clapped her hands, and they were gone. "Let's get out of here," Cain said while rising.  
>Glitch and Raw led the way, happy to leave the room.<p>

Jeb moved towards the door, pausing over Zero's body. He resisted the urge to shoot the dead man again, and waited at the doorway to watch his father.

Cain walked past Zero, giving him one last glance and then walked away quietly. _It's finally over, _he thought as he left the room.

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><p><em>Well, there you go. Hope it wasn't too awful! As always, please let me know what you thought. I'm really anxious about this one.<em>


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Here's the next one. Just one more after this, unless my muse decides to change her mind again. Hope you like it.  
><em><em>Thanks for all the reviews! I love opening my inbox and seeing all the reviews and people that put this on alert, you all make my day :-)<em>_  
><em>

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><p>The queen was pacing around the palace entryway anxiously. Ahamo stood by, resisting the urge to run out to the stables to go after his daughters, instead trying to comfort his wife. Glitch had sent a messenger to them before leaving, and now they were just waiting for any news.<p>

Azkedellia appeared suddenly at the top of the stairs, calling for them. Both parents ran upstairs and embraced her.  
>"DG?" Ahamo asked with a shaky voice.<p>

"She's in the infirmary. Raw was able to heal her partially, but she's still injured," Az explained, leading her parents back the way she had come. She had transported them straight to the medical ward, knowing her sister needed more help. Then she ran to find her parents.

The Queen ran over to DG when they reached the room, and began crying at the sight of her.

The nurses had put DG in a bed in the corner, and were attempting to clean her wounds. A bandage was wrapped around her upper body, noticeable under the gown they put her in. There were also bandages around her wrists, and the bruises were all still visible on her face.  
>Ahamo took in all the wounds and became furious. Az looked at him, and spoke quietly. "Zero is dead."<br>He nodded and sat quietly, taking his daughter's hand not currently held by his wife.

"Mister Cain?" The queen asked.

"He's alright. Raw healed his wounds, they weren't as serious. They are on their way back now."

"Good."

The family sat quietly around DG's bed for awhile before the sound of the horses reached them from the window.  
>Azkedellia went down to meet them. "She's up here," she called from the stairs.<p>

Cain moved past her and only slowed when he reached the doorway. He stopped when he saw her parents by her bedside. Seeing her lying there brought to the surface all the emotion he had been pushing away. He felt guilt and anger wash over him. _If I hadn't taken her out, none of this would have happened. _He decided to give them some privacy, and headed towards his room in hopes of clearing his mind.  
>Everyone else reached the doorway after him, and stopped when they saw him turn and leave.<p>

"Cain?" Glitch called to him, but the other man ignored him and kept walking. Glitch was about to call him again when a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Cain feel guilt, blames self." Raw explained.

"That's crazy." Glitch ran after Cain, catching him down the hall. "Cain, you can't blame yourself for this," he started.

"Not now, Zipperhead." Cain snapped, not stopping.

"But-"

"Just leave me alone, Glitch." Cain pleaded, slowing his steps to look at his friend. The upset look on his face was enough to stop Glitch, and Cain took advantage of the moment, leaving the hall.

Glitch made his way back to the room and moved to stand beside Azkedellia. She glanced at him and he just shook his head sadly. Turning, he focused his attention to the bed. The nurses had put her in a corner of the infirmary, away from the noise and other patients.  
>Raw was sitting on the bed next to her, his eyes closed, and hands over her. After a few minutes, he pulled away. Everyone held their breaths anxiously. "DG be okay. Almost healed, but will take more time. Too much healing is hard for body, needs rest."<p>

Glitch felt himself relax, and took in the rest of the room. The Queen and Consort were sitting by the bedside, each holding one of DG's hands. Jeb stood in the corner, switching his eyes from the resting Princess to the doorway his father had refused to enter. Next to him, Azkedellia stood watching over her sister, relief evident on her face. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she smiled in thanks.

"It's late, we should let her rest," Ahamo said. The Queen nodded in agreement. She rose, kissed DG's forehead, and they left the room together.  
>Jeb glanced at DG's sleeping form once more, and left quietly, heading down the hall in the same direction as his father.<p>

Raw checked on her once more before exiting the room, saying he would be back in the morning to check on her.

Azkedellia went to the chair vacated by her mother, and took her sister's hand. "I love you, Deeg."

"Your sister is a fighter, Princess. She'll be good as new before you know it."

"I hope so. Raw healed her body, but we still have to wait and see how she is doing otherwise."

Glitch looked sadly down at his friend as he thought about what she was saying. They didn't know what Zero had done to her, and how she was doing emotionally after being held by the psychotic man. "You're right. But she has you, and her friends to help her get through anything."

Az started to answer him, but froze as she felt a movement in her hand. "DG?" She looked down, and saw her sister's eyes flutter open.

"Az?" She whispered. She started to sit up, then let out a small whimper as pain coursed through her body.

"I'm here. Are you alright, should I get Raw?"

She closed her eyes for a moment, then slowly opened them again as the pain subsided. "No, it's alright. Just remind me not to move again. What happened?"

"You gave us quite a scare, Doll." Glitch moved to stand beside Azkedellia. "It's over now, Zero is gone."

"Sorry bout that. I'll try not to get shot the next time a madman kidnaps me," she joked. The upset look on her sister's face made her stop. "Sorry. Is everyone alright? Cain?" She looked around the room, wondering where he was.

"I'm sure he'll be in later." Glitch answered after a few moments, avoiding her eyes.

"What aren't you telling me? Is he okay?" She started to sit up again, but was stopped by her sister's hand on her shoulder.

"He's fine. He is just feeling bad about what happened. He blames himself."

"What? That's ridiculous! He nearly died trying to save me." The fear of losing him popped into her mind again, and she fought back tears.

Glitch agreed, watching the Princess become upset. _That man acts like he has the zipper sometimes. _"I'll go find him, Doll." He left the room with plans of dragging his friend back if necessary.

"DG?"

"I thought I lost him, Az. I was so scared."

"Did something happen between you today?"

DG blushed as she thought of their kiss. "He kissed me."

"That's wonderful," her sister replied with a smile.

"Is it?" When Az looked at her confused, she clarified. "I mean, we nearly died, and now he won't even come check on me?" She cursed herself for her insecurities, but she couldn't keep them away. After nearly dying, she figured she had a right to be emotional. "What if he changed his mind? Maybe he decided I'm more trouble than I'm worth."

"I don't think that's the case, DG. I see the way you two look at each other, it's obvious he cares for you."

"I know he does. But if he is already running away, I don't know what I'm going to do."

Az moved to the bed, and carefully pulled her sister into a hug. _I hope Glitch can talk some sense into him._

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><p><em><em>AN: Hope it wasn't too bad. I think the heat is melting my brain, so I'm not sure how well my muse is functioning lately. lol  
>Will have the last chapter up in a couple days after I go back and make sure my muse is finished playing with it.<em>_


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Well, here you go, last chapter. Hope it's not too cheesy and you all enjoy it._

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><p>Cain walked to his room, locked the door behind him and headed for his bed. Sitting on the edge of it, he leaned his head down, holding it in his hands. He thought about the Princess lying unconscious down the hall, and had to force himself not to run back there. <em>I couldn't protect her. She's there because of me. I let myself get distracted by my feelings, and she nearly died. <em>In the back of his mind, he knew that Zero was the one to blame, but he couldn't stop himself from feeling largely responsible.  
>The image of her lying there, covered in blood wouldn't leave his mind, and he cried out in frustration. <em>I nearly lost her, just like Adora. <em>The image of finding her grave popped into his head, and he fought to keep the tears from his eyes. _I can't do that again, not with DG. I won't be able to handle it if I lose her. _His mind drifted back to the time they spent together before the day had turned so tragic._ We were happy, why did it have to turn out like that? We can still be happy, _a voice in his head argued internal argument was giving him a headache, and he stood, punching a wall in frustration.  
><em><br>I can't even protect her. She doesn't need me risking her life. _He sat back on his bed, rubbing his hand through his short hair. He raised his head, jaw clenching as he made a decision that broke his heart. _It'll never work, she's better off without me. _

His thoughts were interrupted by a knocking on his door. Thinking it was Glitch, he ignored it.

"Father?" Jeb knocked again, calling him.

"Go away, Jeb."

"No. Open the door, we need to talk."

With a frustrated groan, Cain forced himself off the bed, and moved towards the door. He opened it and looked expectantly as his son.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine," he muttered, walking across the room to sit on his bed again.

"You didn't come check on the Princess."

"Is she okay?" He asked, unable to keep the worry from his voice.

"Yes. Raw healed her some more, and she's resting now. Why didn't you come and see her yourself?"

"There were enough people there, she doesn't need me."

"Don't do this, Father."

Cain looked at the floor. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I can see what you're doing. You're blaming yourself for this, and giving up on what you really want because of it."

"I nearly got her killed, Jeb. She needs someone that can protect her, and that's clearly not me. It's my fault for taking her out of the palace, for letting myself get distracted."

"So all that talk before about having heart was just lies?"

"No, I meant it. It doesn't matter though. She deserves better."

"You're right."

Cain brought his head up quickly, staring at his son. Jeb glared at him and continued. "You love her, and she loves you, everyone can see it! But if you are going to sit here and feel sorry for yourself instead of being with her, then you don't deserve her."

Cain hung his head in shame, listening to his son chastise him. He opened his mouth to talk, but Jeb continued on.

"If you give up, then Zero wins. It doesn't matter that he's dead. He still ruined your life, again." He stopped talking, and moved to the door. Cain stared at him in surprise, not sure what to say. "Just think about it. Mother would want you to be happy." He closed the door, leaving Cain to his thoughts. He thought about his son's parting words, and realized Jeb was right. The thought that his son was wiser than him made him upset and proud at the same time.

_Jeb's right. I'm being foolish. I promised her forever, and here I am ready to give up before it even starts. _He pictured their morning together again, and couldn't stop the small smile from his face. _ I can't let fear ruin my chance of being happy again. _He stood, and headed for the door, planning to go check on DG. He opened it, surprised to see Glitch on the other side, hand raised to knock.

He entered the room, poking Cain in the chest to emphasize his words. "Alright, Cain. Enough feeling sorry for yourself. DG needs you, and I'll drag you there myself if need be. She's down the hall crying for you while you sit here blaming yourself for something that wasn't your fault."

"She's crying?" Cain mentally kicked himself, feeling even worse.

"Yes. She woke up, and you weren't there. She thinks you don't want her anymore." Glitch calmed down a bit when he saw the misery on Cain's face. "What happened out there today, Cain?"

"None of your business, Zipperhead. Now, you gonna get out of my way so I can go see her, or not?"

"Oh, right. Good, glad you came to your senses," Glitch said, stepping to the side. "Thought I was going to have to demonstrate my excellent rhythm for you.

Cain shook his head, trying not to laugh at his friend's craziness. He walked down the hall, Glitch following behind. When they reached the doorway, he stopped again. Az was sitting beside her sister, the two hugging tightly. He saw DG look his direction and stiffen.

Az felt her sister tense, and released her to look towards the door. Cain stood in the doorway, watching them. She said goodbye to her sister, and stood up. When she reached the men, she turned to Cain. "You break her heart, and I'll banish you to the Papay fields." She nodded to Glitch, and they both left the room, leaving a slightly stunned Cain behind.

"Cain?"

He winced as he heard her use his last name again, instead of his first."How ya feeling?" He walked over, sitting beside her.

"Not too bad, considering. Are you alright?"

He nodded, then gently took her hand. "I'm sorry, Deeg. If I hadn't taken you out this morning, none of this would have happened. I hope you can forgive me."

"No." He stared at her in shock, unsure of what to say, before she continued. "I don't blame you, so there's nothing to forgive."

He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "DG," he started, before she cut him off.

"Except the fact that you were ready to run away without a word."

He was surprised by the fact that she knew him so well, and guilty at being caught at the same time. "I'm sorry, DG. I was just so worried I'd lost you," he admitted. She gently squeezed the hand holding hers, offering comfort. He smiled and forced himself to continue. "I guess I figured that I could handle not being with you, as long as you were safe."

"Wyatt." He looked up at her with a smile. "If this is gonna work, and I really want it to, you can't run every time things get tough. You said yourself it wasn't going to be easy," she reminded him. "I was heartbroken when Zero told me you were dead, I didn't know what to do. But we're both okay, and we can't let our fears ruin our chance at happiness."

He smiled when she finished, and lifted their joined hands to kiss hers. "You're right."

She gave him a look that said 'of course I'm right', and reached out to him with a smile. He leaned forward to wrap her in his arms. She tensed from the pain, and he released her with a worried look. "You okay? Should I get Raw?"

"No, it's fine. I just shouldn't have moved so much."

"You should rest," he said, moving off the bed and returning to his chair.

"Yes she should," a voice said from behind him. He turned to see a medic standing there with a small tray. "I have some pain medicine for you," she said, looking to DG.

"Thank you," DG replied, taking the offered liquid. She drank it down, making a face at it's taste. "That was awful!"  
>The medic took the cup back, and told DG to get some rest.<p>

Cain laughed, earning a glare from DG. "Sorry. I should go, you need to sleep." He started to rise but stopped when DG grabbed his hand again.

"Stay with me?" She gestured to the bed, scooting to the side.

He glanced around the room, taking in the various people, thinking of her reputation. He was just about to mention it when she let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't give a damn what anyone thinks, Cain. I don't want to be alone."

He thought about it for a moment, then moved to the bed, gently lying beside her. Once he was settled, he reached out, pulling her carefully to lean against him. She settled herself against his chest, and let out a content sigh. "Much better."

"Get some rest, Princess. I'll be here for as long as you want."

"How's forever sound?" she muttered, drifting to sleep.

He kissed the top of her head, and let his own eyes slip closed. "Sounds good to me."

* * *

><p><em>There you go, hope you all enjoyed my madness. Thanks again to everyone that added me to alert and reviewed, you're all awesome! :-)<em>  
><em>Please let me know whether it was good or bad. Reviews and comments are always greatly appreciated and help me become better.<em>


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